Mann-Rea has set himself a personal challenge to make it as hard as possible for Moore to force his way back into the Brumbies starting side when he returns from a knee reconstruction.

Moore is considered a walk-up starter in the Brumbies' line-up given he's the team's skipper, has played 131 Super Rugby games and 92 Tests for Australia.

But with Moore being eased back into playing duties with a stint from the bench in round one on Friday, Mann-Rea is ready to take his opportunity to shine.

"[Moore's] such an inspirational leader, once he's ready it will be good to get him back," Mann-Rea said.

"But it's natural competition. Everyone wants to play, we're not here making up numbers. Everyone wants to represent their state.

"I'll definitely be trying to play the best footy I can to try to cement my spot and whatever's best for the team will happen. I'm excited for the challenge."

Moore is set to be named on the bench for the Super Rugby opening-round derby against the Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham will name either David Pocock or Nic White as an interim captain on Monday to take charge of the team while Moore bides his time on the bench.

Pocock looms as the front-runner given he has captained the Wallabies. But the clash against the Reds will be just his sixth game in three years after recovering from two knee reconstructions.

Inaugural Brumbies captain Brett Robinson backed Pocock to handle the extra responsibility on game day and recapture the form that saw him regarded as one of the world's best openside flankers.

"I think David has demonstrated he can handle it because he's done it before," Robinson said.

"You always focus on performing as an individual, he'll get his confidence back when the game gets going but some people are better at leading than just playing. He's got so much experience that he'll be fine."

Mann-Rea and Siliva Siliva will battle for the No. 2 jersey, but 33-year-old Mann-Rea leads the race, given he picked up valuable experience on the Wallabies tour of Europe last year.

Mann-Rea was thrust into the international arena with only a handful of Super Rugby caps to his name when Australia was hit with a hooker injury crisis, which claimed Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Nathan Charles.

The journeyman front-rower's career has been given a new chance to kick on when most players are winding down and he's intent on taking his opportunity with both hands after playing two Tests last year..

That means not giving up on World Cup dreams, despite knowing Australia's top-ranked rakes will be back on the field.

"After last year, you don't know what's going to happen so you have to make sure that whenever you are playing, you're playing good footy and that you're ready for anything," Mann-Rea said.

"Who would have thought so many hookers would have been injured last year. I got an opportunity and if I hadn't knuckled down I wouldn't be ready for that opportunity. The games I got at the end of last year gave me a lot of confidence."

Larkham will finalise his team this week with the Brumbies set to boast 13 Wallabies in the game-day squad.

Rory Arnold and Blake Enever are battling to take the vacant spot in the second row to join Wallabies lock Sam Carter.

Carter has been linked with negotiations with French clubs, but the 25-year-old is understood to be in advanced negotiations to stay in Canberra for the next two seasons.